Cleveland IMS: Courting the big cat

Posted on February 7, 2015 by MotoADVR

20150131_152715The moment of truth was upon me, after browsing the various wares of the show, I was finally stepping into the Triumph booth. I’ll apologize now for the British obsession, hopefully you can see past it, or get caught up in it with me.

20150131_152706The Triumph Bonneville is an icon that is probably one of the most recognizable motorcycles on earth after the Harley Davidson Sportster. After  the company went into receivership in 1983, the 900 cc triple kept the company afloat until Triumph finally relaunched the classic parallel twin Bonneville in 2000. The new Bonneville combines aesthetic 20150131_152650legacy with modern amenities, and like the Sportster, has infinite customization potential. This year Triumph brought a custom Gary Nixon tribute bike, the 2015 Bonneville “New Church” edition, and the Thruxton “Ace”.

 

20150131_153138It’s probably safe to assume I doled out $15 a ticket simply to sit on the new Tiger 800. The big advantage of coming to the IMS is the no pressure opportunity to see and feel all the new models without having to hassle with sales guys ready to steal you shirt. With no further hesitation, I climbed aboard the excessively tall Tiger 800 XCx. The seat is almost 34″ from the floor; I was without a doubt standing up on the balls of my feet to hold the bike upright, but admittedly I expected this. Triumph offers a 3/4″ adjustment on their factory seats for all the Tiger models, which is pretty sweet. I’ve read several reviews where riders talk about using a given seat height for road or highway riding, and the lower setting for off-road when the reach to the dirt is more critical. Aside from the increased reach caused by the new WP suspension on the XCx, the controls and display look essentially the same as they have from the past few years. There are obviously more menus and whatnot now that Triumph has added “on-the-fly” switchable ride modes, but aside from the cruise control (first in class) everything is familiar. My mind drifting away to endless adventure, I help my wife climb aboard. Tense, awaiting disapproval and fearing a wrecking ball to my dreams of the triple cylinder adventure bike, the wife scoots in close and tells me how acceptable the seating arrangement is. Having her aboard actually compressed the rear shock to the point where I was completely flat footed. 20150131_153152(0)While the factory “low seat” was already on my list of mandatory accessories (additional 3/4″ lower than standard, making the effective seat height 32″), knowing this makes me feel good knowing that when we’re two up around town, firm footing will not be a problem. The XCx comes with pretty much all the farkles short of luggage direct from the factory, skid plate, engine “guards”, hand guards, spoked wheels, center stand, 12VDC power socket, among other things. The Tiger weighs in at 487 lbs., makes 95 HP and 58 ft-lbs. of torque (impressive against my 865 Speedmaster) all for the hefty price of $13,499. I have “master plans” for the new aluminum hard cases (Givi trekker bags, rebadged for Triumph), $1,250 including mounting side racks, and heated grips for $250. All in all it’s a heavy penny for an 800, but I am already familiar with how sporty the Tiger 800 chassis is, combining all the new throttle maps, cruise control, 8″ suspension, and bags for the long haul, I offer this is a feasible touring solution that keeps going when the road ends. Considering that the “roadie” version of the new Tiger was right there, the wife and I tried on the new XRx for size as well. The XRx comes loaded with all of the rider modes and cruise control just like the XCx, but replaces the spoked wheels with cast wheels, maintains the previous model year Showa suspension, and has comfort seats standard. That last point was actually the part I was most curious about. I knew the seat height would be about an inch lower for me on the XRx, but I wanted to see how the boss liked the “comfort” passenger seat. As it turns out, I can save the $250 needed to add it to the XCx, as she said it was so stiff it wasn’t as comfortable as standard.

I was a little salty they Triumph didn’t bother to bring the Tiger Explorer this year. I was hoping to do a side by side comparison between the 800 and the 1200 as far as rider comfort is concerned. I have been debating the 1200 for a while considering it comes with all the creature comforts I really want, including shaft drive; but the price tag is hefty and so it the weight. I suppose if a used model became available, for the right price, I could probably be sold; we’ll see what happens.

20150131_153322(0)Like last year, Triumph brought several of their own custom bikes. Triumph has partnered with (or sponsored, I don’t know which) Icon, Empire (Ernie Vigil & Nick Apex) among others to promote their brand. I’m a really big fan of Ernie Vigil and his company Empire. For the most part they are stunt riders on hooligan bikes, but they’ve done even more for Triumph in the past year. I first found Ernie Vigil in the YouTube video “Scramble Me” where Ernie takes a stock Scrambler on the track, off road, and to pick up his date. 20150131_154435It was pretty sweet to see a stock “standard bike” handle the dirt. Last year Ernie partnered with Icon to outfit custom Tigers to compete in the Mexican 1000 and the Alcan 5000. All the gnarly videos of the Empire boys ripping it up off-road on the Tiger 800 only reinforced my obsession with the bike. Triumph also brought along one of the customized Street Triples from Empire. Some of you probably know these triples from the “Motorcycles vs. Car Drift Battle” series on YouTube. While Triumph didn’t bring the drift machines this year, they did bring the turbo charged Daytona 675 last year.

20150131_154235While unremarkable, I did finally get to see the 2014 Speedmaster up close. The wife and I both were somewhat disappointed to see the sweet new paint scheme on the Speedmaster when it was released last spring; considering we liked it better and just bought black. I’m a huge sucker for blacked out bikes, which I have, however the 2014 Speedmaster is blacker than ever, including solid black wheels, black headlight, black bars, sprocket, I can go on. Ultimately polishing aluminum wheels sucks, and that’s less chrome to wipe down, I’m sold. If you haven’t seen my long term review of the Speedmaster, the 865 cc Triumph weighs 550 pounds, makes 60 HP, 53 ft-lbs. of torque, and goes for $8,399.

20150131_172043Technically Triumph “updated” the Rocket III and Thunderbird Storm this year, while I feel it’s essentially paint and stickers (hopefully we’ll see real upgrades next year). Speaking of blacked out bikes again, there are few bikes as black as the Thunderbird Storm. While the pipes tend to be a bit polarizing, if you’re not loyal to a given brand, the Thunderbird Storm packs a mean punch that should be considered if you’re a power junkie. The Storm makes 115 ft-lbs. of torque and 98 HP as the worlds largest parallel twin; it also weighs like 750 pounds with a $14,999 sticker. Last year Triumph launched two new sister bikes in the Thunderbird line, the new Commander & LT. The new models have the same 1700 cc engine as the previous Thunderbirds, tuned for a more 20150131_172139moderate ride (109 Ft-lbs. of torque), however they included a new custom frame to accommodate what has been heralded as the most comfortable stock seat on a motorcycle. While I’m not particularly interested in a 750 pound motorcycle, these bikes will be in consideration when I finally decide to calm down in the corners. The Rocket III is a whole other story; I won’t spout on about the new features because I honestly don’t know what they are. What I do know is that the Rocket III is a 2300 cc mammoth of a motorcycle. From afar you see a massive muscular cruiser rolling up on you, only to be mystified by the sound of s triple cylinder engine. The “Roadster” tipping the scales at 808 pounds makes 148 HP and over 150 ft-lbs. of torque. I’m told it’s deceivingly sporty, but I think it will be some time before I discover it for myself.

20150131_151358I’m of course quite at home in the Triumph booth, considering they don’t make a motorcycle I wouldn’t want parked in my dream garage (and I’m at the dealer like once a month). Like Yamaha and Kawasaki I feel that they have a wide variety of models to choose from. While disappointed that certain models were not brought to the show this year, I think I was more disappointed in the representation of the staffing of the booth. For whatever reason they couldn’t be bothered to say hello to anyone when we were walking around the book at mid-afternoon, mostly talking among themselves. Fortunately a rep volunteering in the booth from the local Warren Triumph dealership finally came by to make casual conversation. I suppose it sounds petty to be put off about customer service at a “Trade Show”, but I’ve run booths at trade 20150131_152009shows. You never know who the next person walking into your booth may be. It may be some college kid with no money, or it may be the purchasing manager for a fortune 500 company, so girls chatting on their phones at the “stand” really irks me.

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Cleveland IMS: The Kawasaki that surprised me

Posted on February 6, 2015 by MotoADVR

20150131_140140All the hype last year seemed to be about the new supercharged motorcycle, the Kawasaki H2. I admit that I recognized the photos, and realized that supercharging a motorcycle wasn’t necessarily something new, but doing so on a mass production scale was way “off the reservation” by today’s standards. That being said, I wasn’t20150131_140210 rushing over to the magazine stand to consume the latest reviews; a track performance sport bike is probably not in my near future, to say the least. I’m of course not going to kid you, even I’m somewhat of a gear head, so given the opportunity, I’m going to snap a photo; if nothing else to whet the appetite for the rest of the speed demons I know. I salute Kawasaki for the effort made, raising the bar, inviting mass publicity to their brand, and hopefully some of this race technology will make its way down to the entry level bikes over time (turbo charging your economy 4-banger is becoming more standard in cars these days after all). If you’re looking for the rundown on the new H2, I’ll leave you with this.

If you haven’t detected the common theme over the past few posts, my mission to find a sport touring and or “adventure” bike is pretty much what led me to the Kawasaki booth. Kawasaki is now making their “Adventure” bike, the Versys,  in 650 & 1000 cc now. Admittedly, the Versys (Versatile System) is not all that unlike the Hypermotard, Multistrada, Tiger 1050, V-strom, and the FJ-09: while folks may apply the word “Adventure”, from the factory these bikes are very minimally, if at all, designed to be ridden off-road in their factory form. Most of them with 17” front & rear wheels, roughly 5” of suspension travel, and street tires. While I wouldn’t say this completely disqualified the Versys from the list, the look on my wife’s face suggests there are other bikes in my future. As a side note, I have seen many a thread on Adventure Rider (among other boards) about off road adventures on a Versys, so if you’re also researching sport touring options, look it up.

20150131_164307A few steps away sat Kawasaki’s “new” Vulcan 650; “I’ll bite” I said to myself and plopped down on the demo model. I had actually just read an article about it the other day; Kawasaki slightly re-tuned the Ninja 650 engine for more low end torque, threw in some cruiser looks, and marketed it as the new 650 cruiser. While at first this seemed like a total snooze to me, after reading more I discovered they included 3 position adjustable foot controls, handle bars, and rider seats. So, suddenly the “it’s a 650, so what?” crowd has something to consider: All the large manufacturers are vying to entice new prospective riders onto their brand, now Kawasaki has made fitment of the first bike easier than ever, at no extra charge. 20150131_170339Mind you, I knew all this when I sat on the demo; what happened next surprised me: suddenly my dedicated passenger climbed aboard a demo, solo. A wise Kawasaki representative walked over and started up a conversation about all the options available. Unbeknownst to me, Kawasaki brought enough Vulcan S models to outfit one in each “rider size” so you can sit in three different control configurations; the Boss was sold. She’s been practicing on an ’82 Honda 650 Nighthawk, which is somewhat intimidating because the center of gravity is so high; Not with the Vulcan S, 27” seat height, 498 lbs. wet, and completely customizable control and seating options. While it’s not very high on my “want” list; make no mistake, if the wife decides she wants one, I will have no qualms about riding it to work when the temperatures get well below her comfort threshold; and do so gladly. Rumor is that it’s quite sporty, and for “entry level” $6,999 (without ABS) is a sweet deal when you can pick a seat that actually fits your posterior without having shell out $300 extra.

20150131_170138“Workhorse”; that’s pretty much what I think  when I see the KLR 650. Until typing this, I knew Kawasaki has built the KLR for some time, but had no clue it first came out in 1987; needless to say, the resume is long, the posts on Adventure Rider about the “legendary” KLR are longer. If I grossly stereotype Japanese motorcycle companies: Honda means quality, Yamaha has everything, and Kawasaki knows dirt bikes; I assume the KLR is no different. If I take the booth rep’s comments in this context, the latest iterations of the KLR have been to give an otherwise qualified dirt bike better road manners. Without rambling on further, I climbed aboard contemplating what traveling the globe 20150131_170134 on the KLR would be like. I managed to coax my better half into joining me with kind of a “are you sure?” look. To my disbelief, the passenger seat was apparently quite comfortable. I wouldn’t say she was as impressed with it so much as the Super Tenere, but satisfied nonetheless. This has left me only more confounded  on finding the “all purpose” bike, fearing that a 650 doesn’t have enough “umph” to run two-up to my liking; while at the same time thinking “we’ll, it is a single…”. The KLR weighs 432 lbs. on the road (or off), and stickers at $6,599 which is impressive. Anyone looking for the ultimately (one-up) utilitarian machine should probably take the KLR into consideration.

I wasn’t going to leave the booth without at least taking a second to sit on the Concours as well. Similar to the FJR, I think that the Concours is a sporty budget touring bike. There have been many articles written about it so it was only fair I give the bike a chance. Right about the point where my wife was about to tell me “it’s okay… but…” a couple of guys selling raffle tickets for a new Harley FL… something… start shouting “She’ll like sitting on this a whole lot more!”. So anyway, she’s still not a fan of all the plastic; but for those interested, the new Concours starts at $15,499 (that’s a good deal on an ST), is a 1352 cc four cylinder, has about 4.5″ of suspension travel, shaft drive, and weighs 690 lbs. road ready (that’s a beefy ST, but it’s still not “up” to Honda’s standards).  If dirt was out of the question, the Concours resume is substantial (first model was in 1986) and this bike would be on the short list (but probably the bottom).

Like the Yamaha booth, I didn’t spend a whole lot of time looking over sport bikes and cruisers, but it’s worth mentioning that the “small” Ninja was recently upgraded from 250 ccs to 300, hence the onset of the new Yamaha R3. I’m hoping that this is forming a market trend as manufacturers begin filling in the gap between 250 and 650 cc bikes.

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Cleveland IMS: Yamaha – A bike for every taste

Posted on February 5, 2015 by MotoADVR

RossiYamaha is obviously known for many things: Valentino Rossi, goes without saying; the YZF-R1, which certainly has its own following akin to the GSX-R; the FJR, the FZ1, the new FZ-09… I can go on (let’s not forget dirt bikes either). This list is only getting longer and more interesting with the latest editions to the Yamaha; the new R1, R3, and long awaited FJ-09 (the “MT-09” has been available overseas for a while now). There was a lot to see in the Yamaha booth, and sadly, I still didn’t sit on all of them.

20150131_140017My number one target in the Yamaha booth was the FJ-09. I’ve been sore with Triumph since they stopped importing the Tiger 1050 into the states in 2013. Okay, so maybe it’s odd for a “cruiser guy” to be so enamored with standard bikes, but what can I say, I respect that a certain tool is designed for a certain job. At any rate, for some reason Triumph decided that a 1050 “sport touring” bike (emphasis on sporty performance) wasn’t for the U.S. market; fortunately Yamaha kept their eye on the prize and moved the MT-09 into the U.S. and called it the FJ-09 for sport touring. I rode the ’07 Tiger 1050 last summer, and was very impressed with its handling, cushy ergos, plush ride, and absolute sportiness. As previously stated, my tail-gunner was less than impressed with the seat; based on initial views via the web, the FJ-09 seems to have a less steeply slopped pillion seat, and reasonable reach from the seat to the asphalt.

20150131_140027Yamaha took the 847 cc triple from the acclaimed FZ-09, increased the suspension, slapped on some angular covers and called it a “sport touring” bike aimed at riders that don’t want the 650 pound yacht that is the FJR, Trophy, Honda ST (more like 750 lbs…), and the BMW 1200 RT. The new FJ-09 has roughly 5″ of travel in the front and rear suspension and weighs about 462 pounds on the road. I’ve been unable to locate the performance specs, but I assume they’re on par with the FZ-09 (107 HP, 61 Ft-Lbs.); All in all, it looks fantastic on paper. From actually sitting on the new FJ it seems sporty and nimble like the 1050 (if one can determine that while parked), but the boss says it also suffers from the same problem, pillion seat is a no-go. While the FJ-09 is more acceptable than the Tiger 1050, less steep, the height difference is reasonable, but the same “cliff” between the two makes aggressive riding somewhat more uncomfortable (or so it seems). That aside, the new FJ-09 is hot! If you’re in the market for an on-road only, single rider, well rounded motorcycle, you’ll want to take a look at this ride.

While the FJ-09 was the bike I really wanted to lay my hands on, the Super Tenere is also on the short list of qualified “adventure-esque” motorcycles I wanted to look at. I personally feel that the Super Tenere is the most inexpensive of all “adventure bikes” based on its weight class, but it also has the least farkles and based on past reviews, is the least dirt worthy. Those points aside, a bike my wife likes and finds comfortable is more likely to find its way home (and sooner), so we climbed aboard the newest Super Tenere. Admittedly, I’ve done very little homework on the new Tenere  (prior to this post), but I was actually impressed once I straddled the seat. It was quite a reach to the ground on the BMW 800 & 1200 GS models, but I was shocked by Yamaha’s 1200, it was very comfortable and easy to put my feet on the ground (I’m 5’10”). The wife was really impressed with the pillion seat, 20150131_161603apparently it was quite ample after the GS models and still permitted her to scoot up close to me without hanging off  the “cliff”. I had pretty much dismissed the Tenere up until now; while I have aspirations for established off-road prowess, the budget Tenere has earned some points with comfort, price tag ($16,190 ES model), shaft drive, and the boss approves of her throne. As it turns out, Yamaha has finally added cruise control, electronically controlled suspension, advanced throttle mapping, and rumors of heated grips being included on the ES (can’t find that on their website for some reason); the only thing left now is to fix the pesky ABS issue (not needed off-road).

20150131_135608Every rider has their own taste, cruisers, baggers, tourers, super sports, and so on. While I haven’t seen a motorcycle I didn’t like, certainly I too have my favorites. I like to put in long days in the saddle, so utility has become the standard by which all bikes are measured for me; at same time, I can’t explain my eclectic taste for cafe racers and vintage bikes. That brings me to the new YZF-R1, the bike I knew nothing about until last month, and against 20150131_135616the competitors – I’m impressed. I spent some quality time with a copy of Cycle World magazine last month and read it cover to cover, including this bit on the R1. While I dream of the day I can have a sport bike in the stable, it’s probably a long way off, and therefore I’ve not dedicated much research to the topic. Ultimately the sport bike designers have begun pushing the limits of street legal engine performance, first Kawasaki with the new H2, Honda responding with basically re-badged MotoGP bike (neither of which can most of us afford), and Yamaha with a revamped R1 including all the best features of modern Grand Prix race bikes. I’ll spare you the details, sprinkle in a few photos; check out the article, I look forward to hearing more about it this summer.

Not far from the R1 display was the FJR; this whole quest for the “adventure bike” actually started from looking at sport touring bikes; I quickly discovered I can get more for less in an adventure bike (plastic and foam are expensive apparently…). I have realized however that the FJR is a budget touring bike, and readily available used, so I wanted the wife’s opinion. Climbing aboard it was everything I expected; I have sat on the FJR and Triumph Trophy several times at other dealers, but never with the wife aboard. My fear has been thus far that the leaned forward position of the “driver” would get tiring on long freeway stretches, but certainly that can be fixed with risers. Ultimately I was met with what I can best describe as “meh” from the boss. The pillion was apparently comfortable, but she’s just not ready for the typically sport touring styling. For those of your interested, the new FJR is $16,980 for the ES model, 1298 cc, has about 5″ of suspension travel, and weighs 644 pounds (again, unable to find performance specs – sigh).

20150131_161843We took a few moments to take a very quick look at the FZ-09 and FZ-07; the wife sat on both. I’m a big fan of both, and would love to take each for a test ride… someday. The wife is still not convinced that she likes the leaned forward position of sport bikes just yet; we’ll see. If I am not already in habit of repeating myself, if you’re in the market for a roadster/hooligan bike, check out both of these rides (especially that triple… oh the sound!). I’ll also give honorable mention to Yamaha’s SR400 here, while we didn’t sit on it, it’s Yamaha’s budget street legal classic (similar to the TU250). Somewhat classic cafe look, 400 cc, $5,990 new, 384 pounds, kick start only. 20150131_162423That last bit is probably the deal breaker for some new riders; while I think it’s cool, I kind of hope Yamaha decides to add a starter (especially for the price of a 400). Speaking of starter bikes I also want to comment that Yamaha has also thrown their hat into the “300 cc” ring  with the new R3, going right along with my sentiment that they have a bike for every rider. I’ll add that to the list of bikes I meant to sit on but didn’t take the time.

20150131_162343Unfortunately I’ve probably let down any cruiser fans that are reading this, I took all of about two seconds and sat on the new Stratoliner, but that was about all the time spent looking at Star motorcycles. No disrespect intended, the whole place was very busy, just didn’t have time to dedicate to cruisers. I will add that I’m glad other manufacturers are putting fairings on their cruisers; I don’t care for them, but it breeds competition, and that I do like. The new Stratoliner looks pretty good, I’ve ridden other Star cruisers in the past and believe it’s a quality product; you’re likely to catch more about them if you hang around the site long enough.

All in all, Yamaha had a packed booth with a lot to see. I felt like I spent a reasonable amount of time in each booth, but now sitting here typing this, it’s apparent I missed a ton photo opportunities and details on new models – lesson learned. Hopefully next year I can curb my excitement and focus on content.

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Surviving the Winter: When the fever hits

Posted on February 4, 2015 by MotoADVR

Screenshot_2015-02-04-09-44-43That moment when suddenly the temperature breaks freezing, you look outside and see the sun shining. You look down at your watch, the gears start spinning furiously in your mind; trying to figure out how you can blow off the rest of the commitments for the afternoon. All focused on one thing… the ride.

Ten minutes; just starting the engine, feeling the wind in your face, leaning into the curves; just for ten minutes, it’s all worth it.

There’s no medication for this disease, no doctors, no counseling, no 12 step program, no support groups; …only the fever; and the comradery among those who also suffer from it.

I turned on the coffee pot this morning, opened the kitchen blinds, and looked out the window expecting a heavy coating of frost on the car; but no, only the damp morning dew on the glass and hint of moisture on the pavement. That’s when the spring fever hit.

“Is it possible?”

“Is this the day the freeze breaks and I can finally hit the road to the office?”

Frantically looking down at my phone checking the weather report: low 40’s today.

“Can it be…?!?”

No. It Can’t. Wintery mix by 5 PM. Naturally… dreams crushed, yet again by Mr. Meteorologist. Suddenly I start debating… is today worth taking a half day? Shedding afternoon appointments just feel the open road? Hasn’t the weatherman been (stone cold) dead wrong all winter?

Yes and Yes, but my logical sense finally wakes and common sense prevails; a long weekend in June is going to go a lot further than a frigid hour in January.

But there’s still hope, 32 on Friday and 40 on Saturday. Six more weeks Old Man Winter… you can only hold on to your death grip for so long.

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Cleveland IMS: Bavarian MotorWerks – Two-Up

Posted on February 4, 2015 by MotoADVR

BMWnineTAfter Harley Davidson’s 45 degree V-twin, there is probably no other engine as iconic as the BMW “Boxer”. I have recognized the engine for years, even before I was riding motorcycles; until recently, I never saw the allure. BMW’s flat twin has been through many iterations, and now the “water-head”; I admit, the new engine appears a little space age, but still, it’s growing on me. Aside from aesthetics, Germans are often associated with precisions engineering; for me BMW is associated with quality. In the U.S. others may agree with my comment on quality, but I’m betting the copious amounts of plastic probably turn off some prospective buyers; especially after they read the price tag. In the search for the better “touring” machine, I have repeatedly come back to BMW, the 1200 RT still seems like the best bang for the buck when looking to chew up the miles, but beyond comparing it against other sport touring models, I’m honestly not all that familiar with everything BMW has to offer; mostly just the “legends” surrounding the GS models.

As we moved over to the BMW booth, the crowd finally thinned out (Perhaps something to do with the mandatory credit check?). This worked out well for me, I wanted to get the wife’s input on more Adventure Bike pillion seats. This year BMW brought the standard GS and the loaded “Adventure” models to the show. I’ve been concerned that side cases might make long road trips cramped for my dedicated passenger, so the hard panniers on these demo models finally offered an opportunity to put that issue to bed. Until just this moment, she had only sat on one Adventure bike, the Triumph Tiger 1050 (very little emphasis on the word “Adventure”); the 1050 has an extremely steep pillion seat, and a harsh transition that prevents her from scooting in close to me when the ride gets twisty. The 800 GS didn’t disappoint, I felt that the center of gravity made the bike feel light, and the parallel twin also made the bike seem narrow; I’m hoping that translates to the nimble on-road, and reasonable off-road manners as the reviews suggest. The wife was happy with the pillion seat and unaffected by the position of the panniers, a nice win. Despite the raving reviews of the GS models, I had pretty much dismissed the idea of riding a BMW Adventure bike, assuming BMW meant Bring More Wallet. Apparently the 800 GS Adventure retails for $13,699, which really isn’t that much more than the new Tiger 800 I’ve been lusting after. The 800 GS Adventure also has a 6 gallon gas tank, 9″ front & 8.5″ rear suspension travel, 85 HP & 61 Ft-lbs. of torque; all very similar to the new tiger (the game’s afoot…). This will probably leave me with having to choose between dealer network, the amazing sound of the triple, and hopefully a test ride to prove the bike for my taste.

20150131_160431The standard 1200 GS was another story, the 1200 is an odd amalgamation of engineering beauty and utilitarian simplicity (and plastic); nonetheless the 1200 feels like a water buffalo compared to the 800. Mind you, the bike wasn’t moving, most of the adventure bike reviews talk about how the pounds just fade once these big adventure bikes start moving, but I can’t help think about how technical any off-roading would have to be with how heavy the bike feels standing still. At any rate, I’m still intrigued by the boxer twin and the lengthy resume the 1200 GS already has. That aside, the boss’s opinion is in: the pillion seat sits up another 1-2 inches from the rider seat, creating a similar harsh transition to the Tiger 1050; she was not a fan. Moving from the standard GS to the Adventure, which was fitted with what I would describe as a “beaver-tail” seat, the pillion seat was virtually flush with the rider seat (one-piece in this case). While this offered more flexibility than the standard GS pillion, the seat padding was anorexic, and left her with the stunning view of the back of my head. No issues with the panniers, but the general consensus was that she preferred the 800 GS; probably for the better, the 1200 GS Adventure comes with a hefty price tag ($18,340, I can buy a new Jeep for that price). The 1200 was obviously heavier than the 800; while I admit I actually like the looks, and the thought of the classic boxer engine is alluring, the heavy price tag coincidental to the heavy load make me shy away a bit from the 1200. Still, the “dirty” resume combined with shaft drive and all the creature comforts, I’ll always wonder what it would be like.

IBMWnineT have casually been watching the BMW R NineT since it came out a few  years back. If it’s not apparent yet, I love every scrambler and Café racer I see; the R NineT is no exception. The NineT is more of a space age Café Racer, but sitting next to the Triumph Thruxton, the stats are impressive. The R NineT is an 1170 cc flat twin, has 110 HP, 88 ft-lbs. of torque, shaft drive, and weighs 489 pounds road ready. The Thruxton, at 865 cc weighs 506 pounds wet and you can pretty much do the math and discover it doesn’t have anywhere near the performance. Of course, the Thruxton is $9,499 versus the $14,995 you’re going to shell out for the beemer, but… wow…

Moving on, I snapped a few photos of the new R NineT, the sweet roadster I would love to have parked out front, but it’s probably not the next motorcycle. For the record, the BMW booth staff was very friendly, not something I can say for everyone we met that Saturday. Ultimately the time in the BMW booth has forced me to consider the value of quality; probably time to start surfing through message boards and looking at how difficult doing your own service is, and how much parts are (I’m betting… a lot).

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Cleveland IMS: first up – Italian Super Models

Posted on February 2, 2015 by MotoADVR

After a arriving late to the show my wife and I pushed our way through the crowd to the first booth; Northern Ohio Ducati Triumph & the Ducati manufacturer’s booth. Last year the Northern Ohio  guys brought some cool bikes and nice merchandise to look through. This year was about the same, but with the crowds it was difficult to tell. I typically stop in the local Triumph dealership a few times a month so apparel isn’t a big concern of mine right about now, (even though I love that Ducati red & white. Isn’t it sacrilegious to wear brands you don’t own?) So we move on to the bikes.

Right around the corner was the new Multistrada and 20150131_132109Hypermotard. A buddy I ride with has actually had both; having spoken with him I’d gladly take either given the opportunity, but I don’t think I have the coin for the time being. Ducati is what started it all for me, but for now “realism” has to take precedent. Don’t think for a minute that I didn’t sit on both of them while I was there. This is actually where the fun begins between my wife, and I; she loves riding (almost) as much as I do, but our taste in motorcycles differs some. The more I ride, the more function drives what looks “good” on a bike. Sitting on the Multi she says “What’s all this crap?” talking about the hand guards. “Awesomeness” is pretty much my response. My wife has taste in motorcycles, there’s no denying it, she appreciates the elegance of custom paint and chrome; something we agreed upon until just recently. Now I’m a big fan of hand guards or “bark busters” considering that I routinely ride below freezing. I’m also a proponent of “less is more”, so the turn signals being integrated into the hand guards is also another plus for the Ducati “Adventure-esque” bikes in view. I’ve read reviews talking about how the hand guards are flimsy and break if dropped and so on; sorry, I’m not under the guise that these bikes are meant for off-roading in their factory configurations; it’s looks and function folks.  In my dreamworld, I see the Hypermotard in my garage (the garage is also in the dreamworld…); I expect that the Hyper is probably one of the best around town bikes anyone can have, but with aspirations of dirt, and the fact she’s so damn gorgeous, I don’t think it can become the utilitarian machine I’m presently pursuing.

20150131_131917Ducati is obviously doing something right, to my surprise the Diavel caught my wife’s eye. I saw one for the first time during the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride last year, if nothing else, it’s certainly a unique design. If I wasn’t looking to get off a cruiser, I could see myself riding a Diavel in the future; it is a beautiful bike. I know people are rolling their eyes every time I call the Diavel a cruiser, but seriously, what is it, a standard bike? At any rate, I’m still shocked it somehow grabbed my wife’s interest, right up until she realized it’s a 1200 and decided that’s a bit much for a new rider (probably a novel concept among American riders). The same friend that has the Multi, had the Hyper, also had the Diavel at one point (I’m sensing a trend here). He said it was an absolute gas, but wore out tires; it’s a torque machine apparently, who knew?

20150131_132316The new Scrambler is probably the Ducati I’m most excited to see this year. I’m a sucker for Cafe Racers and classic desert sleds; suddenly the factory cafe racer has become all the rage, just fine with me! Motto Guzzi has the new V7, Triumph has had the Scrambler for a few years now, now Ducati has thrown their hat into the ring; hopefully newer riders will reap the benefits. “Beginner Bike” is again a misnomer, the Scrambler is nothing to sneeze at, 803 cc L-Twin, 50 ft-lbs. of Torque, 75 Horse power, and a 424 20150131_134030pound curb weight; my 865 cc Speedmaster only has 60 Horse, 53 Ft-lbs. of torque, and weighs 550 pounds. Starting at $8,499, the Scrambler Icon is right on par with the Triumph Bonneville & the Guzzi V7. My wife has been looking over several bikes that she might want “someday”; and thus far the standard white Bonnie has been at the top of the list, probably until just now. She also has blind expensive taste, last year she told me that the 1199 Penigale was the bike she liked the most; so needless to say she’s also been star struck by the Italian supermodels. She’s 5’4″ and petite, so the scrambler is totally manageable; the bike is lightweight, especially for an 800, the seat height is totally reasonable, and foot controls are neutral, which I recommend for beginners. My wife also likes the cafe styling, but the comforts of modern amenities, and like me, we’re both anxious to see how it performs on the road. Right after she stepped off the demo model, she asked me where the closest dealer was to take a test ride; maybe I will see two bikes in my stable someday?scrambler

 

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Cleveland IMS: A glimmer of hope in January

Posted on February 1, 2015 by MotoADVR

20150131_130336January in Ohio is a cold, grey, dreary place; fortunately it’s also the month that the Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) comes to visit Cleveland. This year is my second trip up to Cleveland for the show; a long drive, but a day well spent. For anyone unfamiliar, the IMS is basically a trade show for motorcycles; All of the major manufacturers bring a handful of their newest models and custom bikes, local dealerships also bring bikes and merchandise, vendors sell various motorcycle “wares”, there are custom build bikes on display, and there’s beer. Did I mention there’s beer? The Cleveland International Expo Center (I-X Center) is pretty massive; the IMS is huge and I don’t think it even takes up a quarter of the expo center. The show takes place over two and half days, includes all of the before mentioned items, along with motorcycle stunt shows and live bands. If you’ve not gone to a local show before, I recommend spending the $15 a person and going at least once.

Having gone last year, I had big hopes this year of visiting the Yamaha, BMW, Ducati, and Triumph manufacturer booths; mostly hunting down a comfortable adventure bike to replace my current ride. The top contenders on my list were the two BMW GS models, the new FJ-09, and unquestionably the new 2015 Triumph Tiger XCx; I had big plans for sitting on each one, two-up, but also getting a closer look at the new Indian Scout and the new Ducati Scrambler; the IMS didn’t disappoint, and even included a few unexpected surprises.

I’m going to try to cover the details over the next few days but I figured I’d drop a few highlights:

20150131_1625561. Show up early: unless you enjoy stereotypical heavyset biker chicks in leather, or Willie Nelson lookalikes in patches invading your personal space (What smells like skunk?). Show up early, take a long lunch, or drink more.

scrambler

2015 Ducati Scrambler

2. Italian Supermodels, on a budget: The Ducati Scrambler is everything I hoped it would be, and more. There was a line to sit on a demo model, but worth the wait. In fact the wife agrees it’s probably the best “new bike” for her someday (well, almost, more on that later). I’ll save up all the hipster jokes for later.

 

3. RossiYamaha has everything: Of all the motorcycles dealers in the U.S., I feel that Yamaha has more models to choose from; including something for every type of rider. From a 300 cc sport bike to the new MotoGP inspired R1. Oh, and Did I mention they have those sweet new triple cylinder engines, and an “Adventure” Bike, a Sport Touring Bike, oh and that new FJ-09 thing that’s kind of both?

4. BMWnineTBMWs are sexier in person: I like BMW motorcycles, but I’ve never pictured myself owning one. Having sat on a few, they grow on you; and those heads… wow look at the size of them. I now understand the allure of the GS bikes, perhaps someday I’ll even get to ride one.

 

5. IndianScoutThe Indian Scout: There’s this odd familiarity between the new scout and the Victory Gunner (wonder why), but man do I want to ride one. I don’t think I’ll be trading my Speedmaster for a new cruiser anytime soon, but I have high hopes for the new Indian.

 

TigerBeer

The top of the “Want” list, the new Tiger 800 XCx; oh, and did I mention there’s beer?

6. The big cat is everything I thought it would be: The massive seat height on the new 800 XCx wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be, and I think it might even be growing on the wife. More to follow.

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Surviving the Winter: Day 28

Posted on January 28, 2015 by MotoADVR

I brought the bike back to the house last Friday. The past few winters since I got my license I’ve typically stored my ride elsewhere because I don’t have a garage. I suppose that’s a dirty secret I hadn’t yet told you: My motorcycle lives on my porch 11 months a year (gasp!). At any rate, after a nice ride back home… the weather has been crap. Hopefully what was until recently a mild winter in southern Ohio returns.

At any rate, if you’ve been keeping up with recent posts, I’m on a witch hunt for a winter solution to this whole not riding this. While moving to Arizona, Texas, or Florida would be great; sadly I think that’s a little less feasible than finding a “ride” suitable for snow.

Currently I have my sights on a Ural for a “winter solution”; 2 wheel drive, and the potential to be a sweet marketing idea for a Veteran’s Charity I volunteer with (more on that later); but today I came across this gem, figured I’d share.

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Frostbite: Riding below zero

Posted on January 25, 2015 by MotoADVR

“Aren’t you cold?”

Me: “No; it’s all about Passion”

“How do you ride when it’s this cold?”

Me: “All the right gear”

SAMSUNGSome of you have probably had this conversation a few times. The looks of other drivers on the freeway, and my co-workers in the office is worth it; if the ride in itself isn’t already the best reward. Riding in the heart of winter in Ohio is challenging, but not necessarily difficult. I have tried several equipment combinations, paid for accessories, and paid for better gear in the endeavor to ride nearly year round.

If riding a motorcycle is like training for combat, riding in winter is like patrolling Baghdad.

There are countless articles listing the myriad of threats when riding a motorcycle in the winter; I’ll spare you the obvious details and list my biggest concerns.

1. Precipitation: If it’s snowing, the bike stays home. If it’s raining and remotely close to 32 F, the bike stays parked.

2. A water-main break: otherwise sunny day with dry roads will suddenly become the most horrifying environment to a motorcyclist in seconds, a mid-road skating rink.

All of the other articles are correct, there’s gravel, salt, and armies of unwitting drivers not looking for you. I always plan my route carefully, leave early, and typically only take main roads that I have driven in the past 48 hours. Riding below zero is nothing to take lightly, good planning, patience, and solid gear is essential.

Hard lesson learned: No one piece of bargain gear can “do-it-all”

In attempt to save money and gain respect, I rocked Carhartts, a ski mask, and hand warmers on the scooter back when I had it (yes, I wore a helmet). No matter how much money you save on a scooter, men don’t respect you; Carhartt jackets are awesome for work, but suck on a motorcycle; and the quest for sub-zero gloves continues.

6269_4824427025044_5856718359573500960_nI typically ride with an average GMAX helmet; a full face helmet is recommended, but I know guys that do it with half helmets and neoprene masks; not my bag. I will say that a ski mask or tall neck-gaiter is highly recommended.

What I’ve found that makes the biggest difference is water resistant clothing. A buddy of mine says: “Is it raining? Put your rain gear on; are you cold? Put your rain gear on!” True story, rain gear really blocks the wind and keeps the heat in. My complaint in the winter is typically the rain gear flapping in the wind on the freeway, along with the three layers necessary to keep warm. Polypropylene long-johns are worth their weight in gold. I have maintained a reasonable amount of comfort with just long-johns, jeans, and rain gear. It’s not the best combination, but it works in a pinch. Jacket has pretty much gone the same way; I have a textile (non-mesh) jacket I’ve worn year round till recently. With a quilted liner (not included with jacket), and sweatshirt, the jacket works below freezing, but it’s pretty bulky, and won’t last beyond an hour.

My most recent kit is a matching set of Firstgear; the Rainier Jacket, and Escape pants. Both are previous year models, so I can’t speak to what’s on sale as of now, but the quilted (removable) thermal layer and waterproof armored pants are excellent. From 24 degrees to over 55 degrees the pants are comfortable with all the vents closed and thermals in place. The jacket is also solid, but a microfiber long sleeve shirt is needed to keep warm on the freeway under 32. Thus far, I’ve only been in light rain, so I can’t speak to the “waterproofness”; but for cold weather it’s solid. Certainly there are companies like Aerostich that offer top of the line solutions. Admittedly it’s on my list, but it’s going to be a while before I have the pocket book for something like that.

As an Army Veteran, I have a set of combat boots for every day of the week, including Gortex winter boots. I don’t consider Gortex “Waterproof” when speaking of jackets and pants (Army experience, sorry, it’s just not), but as far as boots are concerned they’re warm and dry. Combat boots are readily available on various internet sources, but certainly there are better commercially available motorcycle boots.

Gloves is where the struggle begins; I have gone back and forth between waterproof leather gloves, and snowmobile gloves and thermal liners, I think I’m stuck buying heated gloves to combat the deep cold. Latex gloves under snowmobile gloves works pretty well down to about freezing, but neither that of the waterproof gloves, even combined with heated grips will keep your hands warm consistently below freezing. I have recently installed hand guards (like “bark busters”) on my bike, still not enough to cut the deep chill at 65 mph.

I have put off electric gear for some time (it’s bloody expensive), but I think that’s the last line of defense to stay on the road beyond half an hour below freezing. You can warm your hands on the engine… but it’s just not safe as a prolonged solution.

Now the last hurdle: riding in the snow…

 

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The Hamburger Wagon: Pubs & Street Eats in the ‘Burg

Posted on January 18, 2015 by drewkfaulkner

20141101_133628_zpsem0ywqqkWhile riding is most certainly about satisfying my adrenaline addiction, it’s also about the drinks, local eats, and good company. I typically pick rides that are off the beaten path, but to keep the wife interested on the road I typically throw in local pubs, mom & pop cafes, and if I’m lucky, a street stand with hot dogs, soul food, or fried Americana. So much so, that these are often the best parts of the trip, or at least a good excuse to wonder 3 hours south to the Ohio border for lunch (more on that later).

So… it’s still January in Ohio, less than ideal riding weather, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stop in at my local burger joint. Not just any burger joint, but a local, polarizing, cult favorite “The Hamburger Wagon”.

The story goes that during the great flood of 1913 a local Miamisburg resident volunteered to help serve food for flood victims and relief workers. Using a favorite family recipe, he served up hamburgers to everyone in the local relief camp. The burgers were extremely popular, even after the flood, so much so he began selling his secret recipe burgers on Saturdays. Eventually this endeavor moved up to 7 days a week, and is now a “historic” stop in downtown Miamisburg.

If you show up around lunch time, be prepared to wait in line, but the wait is worth it. 20150118_123808I have no idea what the “secret” is, but they’re delicious. Old-school, like grandma used to make; hand pattied ground chuck, pan fried in an iron skillet, served on slider buns. Salt, pepper, thickly sliced onion, and a sandwich pickle. Don’t waste your time asking for cheese, because there is none. Grab a coke and some salt and vinegar chips and that’s lunch. These sliders are $1.25 each, typically sold by the bag-load. I will warn you… the before mentioned onion is pretty heavy; if you’re not a fan, I recommend skipping the onion. Along with that, try one; I’m warning you now, they’re addictive, but every now an then, I do meet folks that just won’t have it. That’s why I said “polarizing”, they seem to be “love it” or “hate it” from what I can tell; I’m most certainly in the former.

Beyond a delicious snack, the Hamburger Wagon is a great stop at the beginning or end of a local ride. The Miami River is directly across the street, which serves as a good corridor for local twisty roads if you’re just looking for a short local ride; even better if you’re headed out to south eastern Indiana where the real twisties are hiding. Hopefully I’ll find a few photos of Indiana 229 this spring and some local broasted chicken for another edition of street eats.

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